LEIGH (LAY), Joseph

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             9th Infantry Brigade
                                             58th Battalion – Cental Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   727646
RESIDENCE:                     Mitchell - Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH:             November 4, 1896
                                             Middlesex – County of Kensington - England
DATE OF DEATH:           October 25, 1917                 20 years     11 months
CEMETERY:                     Brandhoek New Military Cemetery No. 3 – Ypres –
                                             West Vlaanderen – Belgium
                                             1     M     2
PARENTS:                         Mr. Joseph and Elizabeth Ann Lay – Richmond – Surrey - England
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:                         March 4, 1916 - Mitchell – Perth County – Ontario into 110th Battalion
Enlistment Age.                 19 years     4 months

This soldier departed Canada on the S.S. Caronia and arrived in England on November 11, 1916. On January 1, 1917, he was sent to the 8th Canadian Reserve Battalion where he stayed until March 6, 1917 and then he transferred to the 58th Battalion. Three days later he went overseas into France and on June 12, 1917 joined his unit in the field. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on August 10, 1917.
On October 25, 1917, Lance Corporal received wounds to his left arm, left leg, left knee, right hand and right foot. He was attended to immediately and taken to No. 13 Canadian Field Ambulance but his wounds were so grave he could not survive this day.
Battalion diaries:   Winds were north-west at 6 mph. The casualties during the day were caused by the Brigade and Division artillery firing upon their own lines.
Brigade Diaries:   Weather was fine and warm the whole day with winds sourth-west at 20 mph. The Brigade was located at the Wieltjk Dugouts.
No mention has been made in the Brigade diaries about casualties being caused by its own artillery.